Saint Louis Dentist Answers Your Questions About The Importance Of Daily Dental Flossing
Many patients who take dental care very seriously—and make the time to brush thoroughly as recommended—still end up neglecting to floss every day! Why is this? Our Saint Louis dentist office has found that many people do not realize why flossing is so important in addition to brushing. So our dental team has put together this question and answer session all about flossing—keep reading!
Q: How often am I supposed to be flossing my teeth?
A: The general recommendation of the American Dental Association is that adult patients floss their teeth at least once a day (usually at night before brushing). There are some people, however, who will need to follow a different flossing routine. This may happen because the patient is suffering from periodontal disease, or managing diabetes (which can greatly affect dental health). You should talk to your dentist in order to determine your ideal flossing routine.
Q: Why isn’t brushing enough? I feel like my smile is clean enough after I brush.
A: Brushing is great for getting sticky plaque off of the flat surfaces of your smile. However, after you brush you will still have plaque stuck between your teeth and along your gum tissue—the spots that are difficult to clean with a toothbrush. You may not be able to feel this plaque because it is embedded between your teeth (and remember, plaque is invisible), but it is there nonetheless. That is why it is so important to floss whether or not you feel like you “need to.”
Q: What type of floss should I use?
A: Most people can simply pick the type of floss that they prefer (waxed, unwaxed, flavored, etc.) and it should work fine. If there is a specific type of floss that you should be using, your dentist will let you know. In general, you just want to look for a type of floss that glides between your teeth and does not shred when you use it.
To get answer to any additional questions that you may have, please feel free to contact our Saint Louis cosmetic dentist office by phone or online!